Close the Books: Your Year-End Financial Review

With the holiday season in full gear, you likely have wrapping presents on your to-do list. While it’s not quite as fun as gift-giving, now is also the perfect time to wrap up your finances for the year.   As the year comes to an end, you’ll want to ensure all your financial ducks are in a row. That way, you can get a jump start on your goals in the new year. A lot can happen fiscally speaking in a year, and we’ll help guide you through the steps of performing a year-end financial review.     Step #1: Evaluate Your Spending Habits  Log into online banking for your financial and credit card accounts. Either download your past statements or scroll through the months one by one. If your spending is regular, consider…

December 18, 2025Wallet Wins No Comments
Close the Books: Your Year-End Financial Review

With the holiday season in full gear, you likely have wrapping presents on your to-do list. While it’s not quite as fun as gift-giving, now is also the perfect time to wrap up your finances for the year.   As the year comes to an end, you’ll want to ensure all your financial ducks are in a row. That way, you can get a jump start on your goals in the new year. A lot can happen fiscally speaking in a year, and we’ll help guide you through the steps of performing a year-end financial review.     Step #1: Evaluate Your Spending Habits  Log into online banking for your financial and credit card accounts. Either download your past statements or scroll through the months one by one. If your spending is regular, consider…

One-Minute Read: Building a Budget That Works in the New Year

A fresh year is the perfect time to reset your finances. No matter your income or goals, the right budgeting method can help you stay organized, reduce stress, and make steady progress toward a stronger financial future. Here are four simple strategies to try:  Pay Yourself First Treat your savings like a bill. Set aside money for savings before paying anything else. Automating this step makes it easier to prioritize your future.  The 50/30/20 Rule Break your take-home pay into three buckets:  50% for needs (housing, groceries, insurance)  30% for wants (fun spending)  20% for savings and debt payoff  You…

December 10, 2025One Minute Reads, Wallet Wins No Comments
One-Minute Read: Building a Budget That Works in the New Year

A fresh year is the perfect time to reset your finances. No matter your income or goals, the right budgeting method can help you stay organized, reduce stress, and make steady progress toward a stronger financial future. Here are four simple strategies to try:  Pay Yourself First Treat your savings like a bill. Set aside money for savings before paying anything else. Automating this step makes it easier to prioritize your future.  The 50/30/20 Rule Break your take-home pay into three buckets:  50% for needs (housing, groceries, insurance)  30% for wants (fun spending)  20% for savings and debt payoff  You…

5 Year-End Money Moves to Maximize Benefits

Once the holiday season kicks into high gear, looking past the festive lights, joyful music, and fun-filled atmosphere can be challenging. But amidst all the excitement, there are many year-end events and deadlines that can have a significant impact on your finances.   Set aside some time to review your finances, investments, employer benefits, and insurance options to ensure you set yourself up for success in the coming year. Consider the following five money moves to end this year on a high note.  #1: Contribute to Retirement Accounts  With all the presents you’re giving others this holiday season, don’t forget to…

November 24, 2025Wallet Wins 1 Comment
5 Year-End Money Moves to Maximize Benefits

Once the holiday season kicks into high gear, looking past the festive lights, joyful music, and fun-filled atmosphere can be challenging. But amidst all the excitement, there are many year-end events and deadlines that can have a significant impact on your finances.   Set aside some time to review your finances, investments, employer benefits, and insurance options to ensure you set yourself up for success in the coming year. Consider the following five money moves to end this year on a high note.  #1: Contribute to Retirement Accounts  With all the presents you’re giving others this holiday season, don’t forget to…

How Scammers Use Social Engineering to Steal Money  

And some ways you can spot them   As digital payment scams become more prevalent, they are also more sophisticated, making them harder to detect. Scammers employ what is known as “social engineering” to manipulate people into revealing sensitive information.   It’s all about the psychology of persuasion. These scammers take advantage of human nature, aiming to lower your defenses so you’ll act on impulse rather than reason.   Let’s look at some examples of how social engineering uses the powers of persuasion to steal personal information and money:   Pretexting   Building a solid pretext or a fabricated scenario is an important aspect of…

November 19, 2025Security Center No Comments
How Scammers Use Social Engineering to Steal Money  

And some ways you can spot them   As digital payment scams become more prevalent, they are also more sophisticated, making them harder to detect. Scammers employ what is known as “social engineering” to manipulate people into revealing sensitive information.   It’s all about the psychology of persuasion. These scammers take advantage of human nature, aiming to lower your defenses so you’ll act on impulse rather than reason.   Let’s look at some examples of how social engineering uses the powers of persuasion to steal personal information and money:   Pretexting   Building a solid pretext or a fabricated scenario is an important aspect of…

Cybersecurity for Kids: A Parent’s Guide

You may be doing everything right to protect yourself from online threats – creating strong passwords, avoiding suspicious links, and monitoring your accounts regularly. But what about your children?  From school tablets to gaming consoles and social media apps, kids are growing up in a fully connected world. While technology offers incredible learning opportunities, it also opens doors to risks they may not recognize. Many children and teens overshare personal details online without realizing how easily that information can be misused.  Keeping young minds safe online isn’t always simple, but taking the right steps can build strong digital guardrails that…

November 12, 2025Security Center No Comments
Cybersecurity for Kids: A Parent’s Guide

You may be doing everything right to protect yourself from online threats – creating strong passwords, avoiding suspicious links, and monitoring your accounts regularly. But what about your children?  From school tablets to gaming consoles and social media apps, kids are growing up in a fully connected world. While technology offers incredible learning opportunities, it also opens doors to risks they may not recognize. Many children and teens overshare personal details online without realizing how easily that information can be misused.  Keeping young minds safe online isn’t always simple, but taking the right steps can build strong digital guardrails that…

Why Credit Unions Put Members First

Many people assume all financial institutions are the same. After all, both banks and credit unions offer checking accounts, loans, and online services, like digital banking. But credit unions are built on a very different model – one that puts people over profits. That difference is what sets them apart and makes them such a valuable partner in managing your money.    What Credit Unions Are Known for  When many people think of financial institutions, they often envision large buildings, corporate logos, and lengthy lists of fees. Credit unions are built on a different model, which makes all the difference.…

November 5, 2025PEFCU Perks No Comments
Why Credit Unions Put Members First

Many people assume all financial institutions are the same. After all, both banks and credit unions offer checking accounts, loans, and online services, like digital banking. But credit unions are built on a very different model – one that puts people over profits. That difference is what sets them apart and makes them such a valuable partner in managing your money.    What Credit Unions Are Known for  When many people think of financial institutions, they often envision large buildings, corporate logos, and lengthy lists of fees. Credit unions are built on a different model, which makes all the difference.…

7 Ways to Leverage Your Home’s Equity for a Brighter Future

Recently, home values have been trending upward. As your home’s value increases, so does your available equity. This current trend provides homeowners with the opportunity to leverage their home’s equity to achieve financial goals and build a brighter future.   The two most common ways to access your home’s equity are through a Home Equity Loan or a Home Equity Line of Credit, also referred to as a HELOC. Since both are secured loans, using your house as collateral, they typically offer more favorable rates and terms than unsecured loans, such as credit cards or personal loans.    Understanding how to put…

October 30, 2025Uncategorized No Comments
7 Ways to Leverage Your Home’s Equity for a Brighter Future

Recently, home values have been trending upward. As your home’s value increases, so does your available equity. This current trend provides homeowners with the opportunity to leverage their home’s equity to achieve financial goals and build a brighter future.   The two most common ways to access your home’s equity are through a Home Equity Loan or a Home Equity Line of Credit, also referred to as a HELOC. Since both are secured loans, using your house as collateral, they typically offer more favorable rates and terms than unsecured loans, such as credit cards or personal loans.    Understanding how to put…

How to Send Money with Zelle® Safely

Zelle® is a fast, private, and easy way to send and receive money with people you trust, like your sibling, friend, babysitter, coworkers, fellow PTA mom, or your son’s soccer coach. Whether you just enrolled with Zelle® or have been an active user for a while, there are a few tips you should always keep in mind to ensure you are being safe when sending money.   Only send money to those you know and trust  Money moves fast with Zelle®, directly from checking account to checking account in minutes,* so it’s important you know and trust the people you’re sending…

September 29, 2025Security Center No Comments
How to Send Money with Zelle® Safely

Zelle® is a fast, private, and easy way to send and receive money with people you trust, like your sibling, friend, babysitter, coworkers, fellow PTA mom, or your son’s soccer coach. Whether you just enrolled with Zelle® or have been an active user for a while, there are a few tips you should always keep in mind to ensure you are being safe when sending money.   Only send money to those you know and trust  Money moves fast with Zelle®, directly from checking account to checking account in minutes,* so it’s important you know and trust the people you’re sending…

What Is the Prime Rate & How Does It Affect Me? 

Have you ever noticed your credit card rate inching upward? Or certain loan payments increasing from a rise in interest rates? Chances are that those shifts are the result of changes to the prime rate.  The “prime rate” may sound like financial jargon, but it plays a significant role for borrowers and savers alike. This figure sets the bar when lenders price loans, and it changes more often than you might think.   In this article, we’ll shed light on what the prime rate is, how it’s determined, and the impact it can have on your everyday finances.     What Is…

September 24, 2025Borrowing Basics No Comments
What Is the Prime Rate & How Does It Affect Me? 

Have you ever noticed your credit card rate inching upward? Or certain loan payments increasing from a rise in interest rates? Chances are that those shifts are the result of changes to the prime rate.  The “prime rate” may sound like financial jargon, but it plays a significant role for borrowers and savers alike. This figure sets the bar when lenders price loans, and it changes more often than you might think.   In this article, we’ll shed light on what the prime rate is, how it’s determined, and the impact it can have on your everyday finances.     What Is…

One-Minute Reads: What Does Collateral Mean? 

When you hear the term collateral in the world of lending, it’s simply something valuable you pledge to a lender to secure a loan. Think of it as the lender’s safety net—if you can’t repay the loan, they can use the collateral to recover the money they lent you.  Collateral can be many things, depending on the type of loan:  Auto loan: the car you’re buying is the collateral.  Mortgage: the home itself serves as the collateral.  Secured personal loan: items like a savings account, share certificate, or other valuable assets can be used.  Using collateral can work in your…

September 19, 2025Borrowing Basics, One Minute Reads No Comments
One-Minute Reads: What Does Collateral Mean? 

When you hear the term collateral in the world of lending, it’s simply something valuable you pledge to a lender to secure a loan. Think of it as the lender’s safety net—if you can’t repay the loan, they can use the collateral to recover the money they lent you.  Collateral can be many things, depending on the type of loan:  Auto loan: the car you’re buying is the collateral.  Mortgage: the home itself serves as the collateral.  Secured personal loan: items like a savings account, share certificate, or other valuable assets can be used.  Using collateral can work in your…